The Choice

The year is 1974.  Sandy Lincoln has it all.  She is a popular cheerleader, has a wonderful family, and is dating a star athlete from her school.  When Sandy discovers she is pregnant, she must choose the road to travel.  Looking at all the options--abortion, keeping the baby, or adoption--she is pulled in different directions because the ones she loves have differing opinions.  Unwilling to abort, Sandy moves in with her spinster eccentric aunt in Atlanta, enrolls in a school for troubled teens, and sets out on the task to choose her child's parents.  A chance meeting with an odd old lady in a convenience store makes doing the right thing even more unclear than ever.  What if this woman's prophesy becomes reality?

Thirty-four years later, Sandy is teaching at the same place she attended High School.  When another pregnant unwed teen seeks her out for help, Sandy is once again faced with making choices that could change so many lives.

I thoroughly enjoyed Robert Whitlow's latest,  The Choice.  I think Mr. Whitlow dealt with the issue of abortion in a moving way and I didn't find the pro-life stance taken with the text preachy at all.  It is clear in the book that regardless of the choice, it will be something you live with the rest of your life. 

The book is broken into two parts, the first of which is Sandy's story as a pregnant, unwed teen.  The second half of the book finds Sandy as an adult dealing with the decision she made thirty something years ago and using her experiences to help another teen regardless of the sacrifices she must make.  I did find the introduction of new characters at the beginning of the second half a bit challenging to keep straight for a few pages but it was nothing that kept me from enjoying the storyline. The characters are believable, if predictable. I can't imagine anyone not being able to relate to them. 

 The book also includes discussion questions perfect for a book club setting.

I did receive this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  I was in no way obligated to leave a positive review.